Slifer
by palomino333
Summary: "When I placed that card in its casket, a member of the digging crew asked me whether it could possibly be stolen. I told him, 'Sooner than you think.'" Set during Battle City. Avishipping


I wrote the differing names Malik and Marik to tell them apart, despite the fact that I am using dub names. Malik is the original person, and Marik is his yami.

The scene between Yami and Ishizu is a variation on the Duel Tower scene before the final duel with Marik. When Yugi speaks through Yami in this scene, it is still with Yami's tone of voice, but with Yugi speaking for him. As I recall, this tended to happen in the dub more than as opposed to the sub, making it difficult to figure out whose thoughts exactly were being expressed when Yami was in control of Yugi's body. I touched on this when I wrote Monophobia.

I own nothing.

* * *

"Ishizu, what happens if there's no way to save your brother? It may be too late! You said it was my destiny to save the world from destruction. I thought that meant defeating your brother, and putting an end to his plan, not saving him. He's caused enough damage already. Marik must be stopped!"

Yami sighed as Yugi's words played over in his head again.

Turning slightly, he looked at the speaker as he slept, or rather, attempted to sleep. Despite the reassurances Yami had offered him, Yugi was still clearly disturbed. Not that that was any surprise; the first round of the Battle City finals had been filled with turmoil.

Yugi mumbled something unintelligible as he rolled to his left side.

Yami switched his gaze to the room's door. He would be placing in a late night watch, not that he was one to complain. Even when they had been against only Malik, as opposed to this much darker version of him, catching Yugi at his most vulnerable fit his modus operandi well. All things considering, with the plan to eliminate Yugi and him through their friends thoroughly botched, the only remaining targets were the two of them.

Yami narrowed his eyes. What precious little compensation that was. Poor Mai. She had no longer been a means to an end, but that reduction in status had turned her into Marik's toy, a now broken one at that.

"Damn," he hissed before he could catch himself.

The blanket and sheets beneath him shifted again.

Yami quickly glanced back over at his friend, hoping he hadn't woken him.

Thankfully, no, he hadn't. Yugi had merely rolled back to his other side, his hand trailing back over the side of the bed.

Leaning forward, Yami extended his own hand toward him. His transparent fingers, slightly clenched inward, ran over Yugi's hair in a combing motion.

It was just like the night before the Duelist Kingdom finals, sad to say. Yugi hadn't been able to sleep very well then, either. Still, that had been a different situation. Yugi and he had been out of sync at that point in time, and he hadn't, therefore, been able to comfort him.

Now that they were, however, nothing had changed. The only consolation Yami had felt secure in offering was the heart of the cards, to which Yugi himself had uttered a "let me guess."

If anything, it had been one step forward, and two steps back. Yes, Yami and Yugi were getting along far better, and yes, he had his own newfound sense of identity, but all the same, the stakes were raised.

Ishizu's blue eyes, lowered in submission as told the story of her brother's past, reappeared to him. It was quite a fall from the graceful creature he had met in the museum.

He cupped his chin with one hand in thought. Then again, that elegance never had faded from her; rather it was simply reigned in by emotion. When Ishizu had been on the losing end of the duel with Seto Kaiba, for example, she had maintained her poise.

Yami smiled. Come to think of it, she reminded him of himself in her behavior.

It fell just as quickly.

Still, it didn't mean he wasn't frustrated with Miss Ishtar. Yami wished that she would have brought her connection with Malik to his attention earlier, but it wouldn't have been possible. She was Yami's servant, and that had been a family matter, which was improper to disclose to him. On the other hand, however, she had already been entangled with this conflict for quite some time. Whether it was deserved or not was still in question, since Ishizu had had an inadvertent hand in causing this conflict in the first place.

He scowled. It was him Marik wanted, not Odion and Ishizu. Marik had already come close to killing Odion once, and it was highly possible that he would attempt to do it again, considering Malik was missing.

And Ishizu...

Yami mumbled a stronger curse under his breath. Talking to her now was out of the question, since Yugi needed to sleep, and she was probably asleep, as well. In retrospect, he wished he would have had a quick word with her, but Yugi and he had been thinking more about their conflict with Marik, and the Millennium Item she had bequeathed to them at the time.

Yami uncrossed his legs, and pushed himself off the bed to walk over to a nearby chair. Yugi had draped his jacket over its back.

Getting down on his left knee, he came to face-to-face with the Millennium Necklace, which was hanging partly out of the pocket, its one end trailing, and the eye staring back at him blankly.

It gleamed a soft gold light a moment later.

Yami frowned. Next to the Millennium Ring, this item was probably the most unstable that Yugi and he had encountered so far. That was understandable, considering the future was always in a state of flux.

He understood why Ishizu had relinquished the Necklace, but without a Millennium Item of her own to negate the effects of the Millennium Rod, she was powerless. That was in more ways than one; she would be alone until the finals were over, or if and when Odion woke up.

Yami's frown deepened, the hand that was hanging over his bent knee waving once. Ishizu could take care of herself quite well, but then again, so could Mai, and look what happened to her…

What could he do to help, anyway? He'd tried to protect Miss Valentine, and Marik had still had his way. Granted, had Yami not attempted to intervene, Joey and she would have been destroyed by the Winged Dragon of the Ra, but he had still lost someone. Unfortunately, Yami wasn't the sort of person that took well to losing.

He rose. But there was still room for change. Mai could be returned, and Ryou and Odion would eventually awaken.

Yami's fists clenched at his sides. As soon as the opportunity arose, he would speak to Ishizu again. He owed her that, at the very least.

XXXXXX

"So much for a fast elevator, Kaiba," Yami hissed as he watched the elevator floor lights switch gradually toward the level of the Duel Tower's roof.

He hadn't much time. Malik had attempted to kill Téa at Domino Pier before, and he doubted little that Marik had any qualms about finishing the job.

The Millennium Puzzle, which he held up with one hand, continued to pulse and glow, adding greatly to his stress. It hadn't helped that it had taken a long time to call the elevator in the first place.

With his shaking free hand, he pressed the glowing up arrow a few times. It did nothing, of course, for as much as he wished to urge the machine on.

Yugi was beside himself with worry. "We'll get there in time, right? The Puzzle's still glowing, that means she's okay!"

"Yugi, calm down," Yami replied gently, "Should Marik try anything, we have two Millennium Items, and two Egyptian gods to stop him."

That did little to quell his doubts. "But we weren't ready for this attack!"

Yami kept his eyes on the steadily-climbing digits. "Focus, Yugi. I will need your help in order to stop him."

Yugi acquiesced. "You know you'll always have it."

Yami frowned as the last digit crossed over. It wasn't exactly the answer he was looking for, but the time for talking was over.

At long last, the elevator doors whooshed open, revealing the connecting hallway, and the layout of the roof beyond.

"Now it's time for you to go! I'm going to enjoy this immensely!"

Yami reacted immediately, starting forward, with an angered exclamation of "Hold on!"

Ishizu turned her head to see him, her expression turning from cold fear to relief.

"Look at this, I'm quite popular today!" Marik taunted, his glowing Millennium Rod still raised.

Seizing her chance at Marik's distraction, Ishizu backed away to stand behind Yami before kneeling down and out of the madman's eye level.

"Leave her alone, Marik!" Yami snapped, the Eye of Wdjat appearing on his forehead to glow menacingly at his opponent.

Marik, unfazed, replied, "Oh, never mind her, now. You're far more entertaining."

As the Eye began to also glow on Marik's head, a more confident presence resonated within Yami. Yugi had ignored his doubts for the moment in order to shield Ishizu and Téa.

The sky around them darkened as Marik raised the Millennium Rod high in the air.

Yami's eyes narrowed. Ishtar had cowardly preyed upon the inexperienced with his powers. If he was looking for challenge now, he found it.

The pharaoh's hand hovered over the pocket in which the Millennium Necklace rested. He would admit that his own abilities in the field of shadow magic had diminished due to the influence of the affection he felt for Yugi and his friends, but he could still put up a strong attempt at matching Marik blow for blow.

Before the game even begun, however, it was stopped.

Marik shut his eyes with a gleeful smile, the Eye of Wdjat disappearing. The Millennium Rod fell back to his side, and the clouds dissipated. "On second thought, it would be much more fun if I chose not to rush things."

He walked toward Yami, and paused just inches before him

Yami wrinkled his nose at his breath.

"Let us hope you will not bore me, Pharaoh."

Yami chose not to give him the satisfaction of a reply as he walked off to disappear into the hallway.

The sound of elevator doors slamming shut came, giving a short sense of relief. He was gone, at least for a little while.

"Hey, what's wrong with Téa?" Yugi's concerned tone drew Yami's attention, and he darted over to where Ishizu was kneeling beside her.

The brunette was unconscious, and rather pale.

Yami picked up her wrist, and felt with his thumb for her pulse.

Yugi and he found reprieve when a slightly faint pulse that was beginning to gather in strength answered his touch. It wouldn't be too long until she would awaken.

"Poor girl," Ishizu murmured sadly.

Yami looked up at her words. "Thank you for defending her."

His praise appeared to backfire, for her face fell, and she stared at her hands, which were folded in her lap.

"Is there something wrong, Ishizu?" He inquired.

"Forgive me, my pharaoh, but I have not been completely truthful to you," raising her head, she continued, "There is another reason why I tried to protect your friend. The good half of my brother's soul is still alive, and he has sought refuge within Téa."

Yami's breath hitched, his mouth falling slightly open.

Yugi was rightfully disapproving. "I'm sorry that Malik lost his body, but he can't steal Téa's whenever he wants to. She has her own life to worry about, and I don't want to think about what would've happened if we hadn't made it up here in time."

Yami chose not to telepathically reply for the simple reason that he didn't want to consider that possibility, either.

Instead, he decided to focus on the conversation at hand. "I gather he wished to confront Marik?"

Ishizu nodded. "Yes. I chased after Malik in order to stop him, but by the time I had reached the roof, he was already battling his dark half."

Reaching out, she brushed a few strands of hair that had fallen onto Téa's forehead out of the way. "I apologize for my brother's endangering her life in the process. Malik considers disposing of Marik his responsibility, and although I understand why this is important to him, I cannot condone his methods."

At her guilty tone, Yami asked gently, "He has taken Téa over before, hasn't he?"

She raised her eyes back at him. "I'm afraid he has once, and I must beg your pardon again for not telling you. I had thought Malik to be gone after Odion was injured, and to at least talk to him again…"

She closed her eyes, covering her face with her hands.

Yami looked from her to Téa.

It was a sad callback to the night when he and Miss Gardner had first met this woman. That had only been a few days ago, but it had felt like an eternity. The circumstances had been much happier, the day before having been spent on enjoying the city life. Yami grasped the fact that the air of mystery Ishizu had carried around her back then had been a shield against the anguish in her life, the outside world not having to need to know.

Now, however, even that was taken from her.

Raising his hands, he leaned forward, and carefully took hers from her face to hold them in his. "I understand why you chose against telling me, but I must ask you to trust me," he sighed, "I mean you no disrespect when I say this, but your brother isn't only your concern as of right now."

He let go of her hands.

Ishizu smiled a ghost of a smile. "I have faith in you, my king," it slipped away just as soon, "but when Malik first spoke to me as Téa, it was directly after I had explained his origin to Yugi and his friends. They were doubtful of whether Malik's good side could be saved, and I can understand why, but that is why I chose against reporting his reappearance. The timing was not right."

Yugi's embarrassment was easily felt, and when Yami opened his mouth again, the student's words came out of it. "I'm sorry I said that. I didn't mean any harm, but it just seemed like it couldn't be done. We'd already lost so many of our friends, and it just seemed like there was no end to it."

Ishizu tilted her head to the side in confusion for a moment at Yami's shift in wording before realizing the speaker had changed.

She dropped her shoulders before responding, "I know of that too well, Yugi. I stand by what I said about good being able to triumph over evil, even in the worst of circumstances, but in times like these, it is easy to feel despair."

She held up a hand. "That is not a weakness, either. It is what we naturally feel."

Yugi, feeling a little better at her words, allowed Yami to speak for himself again.

"What did Marik do to Téa?" He asked, gesturing toward her.

"He tried to use the Millennium Rod in order to do away with Malik. The force of its power knocked her down, but that was all that was done to her," she dropped her voice, "As for Malik, I am unsure as to whether he will appear in this way again. His dark half greatly damaged him."

Taking a deep breath, she continued, "I hope that does not mean that he would be unable to control his own body, should it be returned to him."

"Perhaps he will," Yami reassured, his tone lighter, "He has demonstrated his soul's strength on more than one occasion."

Turning his head, he looked out toward the empty hallway, "But," he paused, "I can hope that, should it happen, he would make the right decisions this time."

Ishizu was silent for a few moments, her hands clasped together.

Yami allowed her to take her time over such sensitive subject manner.

"The frame of reference I have when I refer to Malik as the 'good' half is rather extreme," she began, "and it will be a long road for him to travel after this is over, but at the very least, I will have him again."

She released her hands. "I will have to remember to control my own temper, as well. Malik and I have been against each other for so long that it will be easy to fall back into our conflict."

Yami gave a wry smile. "Old habits die hard."

She rubbed at her eyes. "Unfortunately," dropping her hand, she inquired, "Could I ask a small favor of you?"

"What do you need?"

"Could I possibly see Slifer the Sky Dragon, the first Egyptian god card you acquired?"

At Yami's confused facial expression, she explained, "I had failed to keep that card out of my brother's hands. Now that it is returned, I want to face my failure."

Nodding his head, Yami reached for his card holster.

His monsters fanned out before his eyes, the familiarity Yugi and he felt toward them warming him for the moment. Their strength would be needed again soon.

The ruby red dragon, half-coiled in on itself, its sharp fangs and claws glistening, appeared in his right hand.

Tugging it out of his deck, he held it out to her.

Extending her hand, Ishizu gingerly took it. Stroking its surface with her thumb nail, she said half to herself, "It is rather sad and funny at the same time. When I first put on the Millennium Necklace, I saw the events yet to come that were linked to Battle City. I saw myself ordering the safe burial of this card, only for the hands of thieves to take it less than two years later."

She chuckled. "When I placed that card in its casket, a member of the digging crew asked me whether it could possibly be stolen. I told him, 'Sooner than you think.'"

Dropping her thumb, she held the card back out to him.

Yami took it, and placed it back among his cards. Snapping them into a deck in his right hand, he holstered it again.

"But I believe that it will be safe with you," Ishizu declared.

Folding her arms, she mused, "Though I cannot help but wonder what would have happened, had I not followed the dictation of the Millennium Necklace."

Holding out a hand, she added, "We might not have had this conversation, for instance."

Yami placed his hand on Téa's forehead. The color was beginning to return to her face, and as such, she was starting to warm.

Lifting his hand, he replied, "Strange, isn't it? You were the one who informed me of my destiny, but it appears that even destiny itself is not as iron-clad as we thought it to be."

"And embracing it did not always lead to good things," Ishizu murmured.

Her voice significantly rose in volume as she grasped his arm, "But Yami, for the sake of you, and the entire world, your destiny is one that I hope will be fulfilled."

"Thank you," he replied genuinely.

Ishizu smiled before letting go. "It is an honor to serve you, my pharaoh."

"I apologize for anything you have suffered because of me," he offered, acknowledging her.

A faraway look came into her eyes. "I do not think that our father would have treated us differently, had our lives been different. Whenever I saw his anger in Malik, it worried me greatly. He is much more like our father than he believes himself to be."

"That doesn't make it right," Yami declared in a stern voice.

Rising, she agreed in a subdued voice, "No, it does not, but it has happened, and its effects remain."

Yami rose in concern.

She placed her hand to the side of her neck. "I would much rather like it if Marik stayed well away from me."

Taking care not to step on Téa, Yami came over to Ishizu's side. "He has threatened you before?"

Dropping her hand with a shallow breath, she nodded. Two tears ran down the right side of her face. "Marik held the fact that I had nothing to protect me over my head. In that moment, I had thought that he had fully intended to torment me."

She hugged herself tightly. "But in end, he chose to leave me alone. I have no doubt in my mind that he had only just wanted to dispose of me quickly because I had been in his way of Malik. If he is given time to focus on me, I cannot imagine what he will do to me."

Yami knew better than to stare, especially considering he didn't like seeing this vulnerable side of her. Truth be told, he felt a little like a voyeur.

"Then I must ask you to stay with us," he responded.

She turned to look at him, wiping her tears from her eye.

He held out a hand. "The friends Yugi and I have may not look it, but they can very well empathize with your situation. They outnumber Marik greatly, and one of them is immune to control by his Millennium Rod. You don't have to do this alone."

Ishizu closed her eyes, and took a breath, her fists clenching and unclenching. "All right, I will."

Still, she didn't look completely convinced, not that he blamed her.

She cleared her throat in an attempt to gather herself together. "I beg your pardon, but I must speak with Seto Kaiba. His duel with your friend will probably be ending soon."

"Kaiba?" Yami repeated in a puzzled voice.

"Yes. He constructed this tournament for the sole reason of being declared the greatest duelist in the world. It would be only logical, then, that he would have concocted a strategy to defeat Marik."

She placed a hand to the bare flesh where her neck met her upper chest. "I may not have shadow magic to assist me now, but I will still do whatever I can to convince him to help you. If there is one thing I have learned over these years, it is diplomacy."

She stepped a leg back to leave, but Yami called out for her to wait for a moment.

Truth be told, he had felt half-compelled to clutch her to him for a moment, not that that was an alien feeling to him. Lack of socialization had caused him to want to grasp onto a fellow human being for comfort on multiple occasions.

Instead, however, Yami was careful not to overstep his bounds.

Taking her hand once more, he brought it up to the left side of her face.

Keeping his hand on hers, he whispered, "The next time we speak, let it be for a much happier occasion."

She smiled broadly, and he let go in order to allow her to drop her hand back to her side.

"I bid you good tidings, my pharaoh," Ishizu declared before departing, her white cloak sweeping slightly with her movement.

"It seems like we'll never completely know her," Yugi mused as Yami knelt back beside Téa.

"Sorry to say that you might be right on that one," the pharaoh responded, "though it doesn't surprise me much. Considering Ishizu's position, and what we have learned of her background, it's safe to say that maintaining secrecy is what helps her get by."

"I guess that's why it's easy for her to talk to you," Yugi observed in an off-hand tone before quickly changing the subject to a more pressing matter, "But a strategy to defeat the Winged Dragon of Ra? I wonder what Kaiba has in mind."

"We can rule out crush cards easily," Yami theorized, noting that the color had completely returned to Téa's body, "They fit Kaiba's traditional strategy too well, and Marik would have known that. It has to be something outside of the norm."

"She's going to wake up soon, isn't she?" Yugi asked worriedly, "Ishizu couldn't have been wrong when she said that all Marik did was knock her over."

A soft groan came from her.

"No, wait, she's coming around," Yami assured as her eyes moved behind closed lids.

Yugi sighed heavily. "She's safe."

"We've won this battle against him," Yami agreed, allowing Yugi to take over so that he could speak with her.

Standing transparently next to Yugi, his arms folded, Yami watched him offer his hand to Téa, and support her back with his other hand as she deliriously sat up.

He had understood why Yugi's self-doubts had spiked at recently-occurring intervals, especially during that sleepless night aboard the blimp. Now, however, he could feel them slipping away.

Reaching his hand over, her touched the wrist Ishizu had grabbed. Maybe another time, he would talk with Yugi about it. Now, however, it wasn't appropriate.

Casting his eyes past them, he stared at the blue sea beyond, framed by the black spires of the Duel Tower. They would go home again, he would assure it.


End file.
